SAT Prep - Landon Summer I Day Camp in Bethesda, MD

Materials Needed:

TI-83 series graphing calculator
Notebook
Writing utensils
Water
Lunch and snack

SAT Prep examination preparation, students working on their tests

ACT vs. SAT Test Selection & Testing Fundamentals

One week session
June 12–16
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Rising 10th through rising 12th graders
$565

At the core of all standardized testing stand certain principles and strategies that put students
in the best position to succeed with the interpretive ability they’ve honed and the content
knowledge they’ve built. Avoiding careless mistakes is not merely a question of focus but of
approach. Guessing is not guessing when it’s done analytically. Pacing & prioritization must be
planned and practiced.

With two test options for college admissions, the ACT & SAT, identifying where a student’s skill
set is best rewarded should be the first step. Months of preparation can be wasted if the wrong
test is pursued. The ACT is the faster test with more advanced math and a data analysis section
masquerading as science. The SAT provides students more time and a smaller set of math skills
to study, but the reading is more complex, and questions are slightly more subjective. We use
diagnostic testing, strategy introduction, high-yield content review, and 1:1 individualized
support to determine which test a student should take and what skills must be addressed.

Sample List of Skills Taught

Pacing & prioritization
Categorization of question types: see the test from the test-maker’s perspective
Reading critically for evidence and tone
Grammar rules recognition and application
Breaking down hard multi-step math problems into easy individual tasks
Understanding ACT Science: interpreting data tables, charts & graphs

Syllabus Preview

Diagnostic Testing in ACT vs. SAT to expose students to both test styles and determine better test fit and skill level across different subjects (Reading/Writing/Mathematics/Science)
Testing foundations: understanding pacing, how to use process of elimination, the importance of showing work, using alternative methods to answer hard questions
Changes and Updates to testing and how to prepare for the SAT’s digital format
Evidence-Based Reading: reading with a purpose, differentiating explicit vs. implicit evidence, recognizing tone & characterization, when down to 2, what do I do?!
English Grammar: core content (subjects, verbs, pronouns, oh my!), making language objective through sentence breakdown
Math: what’s on the test, where are my knowledge gaps, how to avoid careless errors, how to break down multi-step questions, alternative methods when the formula fails, core content tested on both exams
Science: avoiding basic errors in data interpretation, making deeper data connections
Final Diagnostic Testing and Reporting

Teacher bio: Santi Orozco

Teacher bio: Santi Orozco

Santi Orozco brings a deep passion for helping students develop critical thinking skills and mature intellectual identities. As a refugee and first-generation college graduate, Santi is acutely aware of the power of education and learning and how a student’s identity impacts their learning. His love for learning began when he was 11 years old, spending his afternoons reading to his little sister and tutoring his older brother in math. He continues to feel incredibly fulfilled helping students explore their curiosities and apply that knowledge to develop their character.

As a tutor, Santi, first and foremost, encourages a holistic relationship with his students. He recognizes that students’ complex interests, dreams, and personality inform their unique learning processes. Consequently, he always puts effort into getting to know his students deeply. He contextualizes a student’s learning to things that matter to them and enables them to connect how a particular assignment or exam, or piece of information may be necessary for their values and aspirations.

Santi graduated from Duke, where he served as a tutor for Durham Public School (DPS) students and was a Duke Street Medicine Hip-Hop Dance Group member. In his free time, you will find Santi attending concerts and traveling home to Miami to see his family.